Shades of Blue
by MetaphysicalNinja
Summary: Harry's life changes greatly with his decision to return to Hogwarts. He steps into his role as The Chosen One, and is forced to face the challenges and responsibilities that confront him. He will need the support of his friends, but as the time to confront the Dark Lord approaches, he will need more than even they can give him... This the story of his journey.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**** This story starts in the summer before 7****th**** year. Warnings and Rating for later chapters.**

_Disclaimer__: The characters and places in this story do not belong to me. I promise I will leave everything exactly as I found it when I am done... Well, maybe just slightly different. I promise they will be happier though._

**Chapter One**

The house at Number Four, Privet Drive was quiet and dark, save for a solitary light shining from one of the bedroom windows. Inside, Harry Potter was lying awake in wait of his seventeenth birthday. In just under an hour, he would be allowed to leave the house that had been his own personal hell. No more cooking meals for everyone while he himself was fed scraps, no more Aunt Petunia barking at him to tend to the garden, no more dodging Uncle Vernon's massive fists, and best of all, no more Dudley. Harry could finally escape this hellhole, and focus on eliminating Voldemort.

Harry sighed and glanced down at his watch. _Thirty more minutes_. This was taking forever. He just needed to get the hell out… Every minute he was stuck here was a minute wasted. Voldemort was getting stronger, and every minute Harry wasted was another opportunity for Voldemort to end more innocent lives. _Twenty more minutes_. Harry opened his trunk, and began to gather his things. He planned to leave right at the stroke of midnight. He would stay until then out of respect for Lily's sacrifice, but he needed to get out and do something before his inaction got more people killed. He picked up the clothes that had accumulated on the floor, and threw them haphazardly into his trunk. Next, he pulled up the loose floorboard that housed, among other things, his Invisibility Cloak. He looked at the mass of letters from his friends that had accumulated over the years, each one of them wishing him a happy birthday. There was one letter, at the very bottom of the pile, that held a special place in Harry's heart. It was the first Hogwarts letter he ever got, the one that Hagrid gave him right after telling him that he was a wizard. His friends probably had no idea he kept them all.

His watch beeped. _Five minutes_. Harry carefully placed the letters in his trunk, then glanced at Hedwig's empty cage. He had let her out to hunt over two hours ago, hoping she would return before he left. It was clear that was not going to happen, and he was not going to waste more time waiting on her. She was a smart owl, and would go to The Burrow if he wasn't home when she returned. Placing her cage on top of his trunk, he double checked to make sure he had everything. He would not be coming back.

The alarm on his watch went off once more. _Midnight_. Harry was officially seventeen. He could use magic; he could finally leave, and the feeling was overwhelming. He made sure that his Invisibility Cloak was handy, and levitated the trunk and cage. As he grasped the doorknob, he glanced back into his room one last time. He frowned. The window was still open from when he let Hedwig out. He went to close it, and stopped. Peering out into the horizon, he saw four dots moving in the sky. He sighed. He knew they were letters wishing him a happy birthday. His friends hadn't missed a year yet. The dots steadily grew larger, gaining shape and definition until they began to resemble owls. Pig, Hedwig, a short-eared owl that must belong to Hermione, and a Hogwarts barn owl were all flying towards his bedroom window. Within moments, they were soaring in the window. Hedwig had no letter, and went straight to her cage. The Hogwarts owl flew to Harry's desk and held out its leg, demanding he take the letter from it. Unrolling the letter, Harry had no idea what to expect. Hogwarts had been destroyed in the attack last spring.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I am writing primarily to inform you that it is the decision of the Board of Governors that Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry will, in fact, open this fall for any students who wish to return. The events that occurred last term are regretful, however by choosing to reopen the school, we are choosing not to let Voldemort win. We must show him that this loss, no matter how big it feels, is a small setback from which we will recover. That brings me to my second reason for writing._

_In one week, I will be sending a letter to all of the parents informing them of the Board's decision. It would be wonderful if I could assure them that, given the death of our Headmaster, their children will be safe. Frankly, they might be more inclined to believe me if there was someone equally as iconic to our side of the war present at the school. I have a favor to ask of you Harry. At risk of imitating the Minister's political tactics, I would ask you to return this year to be, for lack of a better term, moral support for the students and their parents. I know that you must detest the thought that I am using you, however, I can assure you it will be worth it._

_I am aware that shortly before his death, Professor Dumbledore asked you to perform a task, and that this task is crucial to defeating You-Know-Who. I am also aware that you share this task with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. Should you return, I will give you, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger as much leniency as you all need to perform the task, and will try my best to stay out of the way. The Order, however, might prove to be more difficult to dissuade._

_Finally, there is one more reason I ask your return. I will not discuss it now, however, I can assure you it is of the utmost importance._

_I do apologise, and I ask your forgiveness and leniency in this matter. _

_Patiently awaiting your response,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_P.S. Happy Birthday Harry. I trust that it will be a good one_.

Harry cursed. What nerve she had! She _was_ as bad as the Minister! How dare she try to use him to manipulate the public? Harry was livid, and his first impulse was to burn the damn thing. However, he resisted the impulse, and reread the letter. The end stood out to him in particular. _There is one more reason I ask your return. I will not discuss it now, however, I can assure you it is of the utmost importance. _That was enough to pique his interest, but he wasn't totally convinced he wanted to confront the memories that Hogwarts held.

Putting the thoughts out of his head for now, he picked up the letter from Pig.

_Hey mate! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_

_I'm going to keep this short, as we plan to see you soon. Everyone here misses you. Mum is having a fit. 'All her kids are growing up too fast' and such. Honestly, what does she expect?_

_Anyway, I hope you like your present._

_See you soon,_

_Ron_

Looking down at the package, Harry couldn't help but wonder how Pig managed to carry it by himself. The thing was huge! Picking it up and tearing open the paper, Harry smiled when he saw the contents. Many of Fred and George's products littered the bottom, while the rest of the box was filled with various candy, and a rather large book titled _The Quidditch Guide to Becoming a Professional Player_. Harry was willing to bet that book could teach him more about the game than just a couple of manoeuvres, and promised himself he would study it religiously in the near future.

He moved to the brown short-eared owl, and took the letter that was, in fact, from Hermione.

_Hey Harry. Happy Birthday!_

_My family has taken a vacation to the United States, and I've found some rather interesting book stores here. We even took a trip to the most beautiful village called Merrick Place, and it was a bit like Hogsmeade. I simply must come back one day. They have the coolest shops, and I found lots of things to stuff in that box for your birthday. I hope you enjoy all of it._

_I hope to be back in the country within a week, and I promise I will be at The Burrow in time for Bill and Fleur's wedding._

_Please give my regards to Ron and the rest of the Weasleys._

_Much Love, _

_Hermione_

Well, bugger. Harry had completely forgotten about the wedding. It was to take place on the 1st of August. That was tomorrow. Oh, well, there was nothing for it now. Besides, he would be at The Burrow in time for the wedding anyway.

As the owl flew out his window, Harry flicked his wand and the window closed itself. Opening up Hermione's package, he was surprised by the sheer amount of stuff that Hermione managed to fit into the box. There were at least five books, a broom repair kit, and a few instruments whose purpose he could only guess. He would have to ask her when he saw her.

Packing away his gifts, Harry was once again turning towards the door. He had his trunk levitating through the door when he heard the tapping. Glancing back at his window, he was surprised to see a large eagle owl sitting on the ledge. He had never seen the owl before, and that alone put him on edge. His mother's protection had worn off, and this could very well be some sort of trap. Something told him it wasn't however, and he opened the window. The owl flew in, dropped a letter on his bed, and departed as quickly as it arrived. Harry picked up the letter and held it for a few seconds. When he wasn't whisked away to Voldemort, he decided it was safe to open.

It was brief, and written in an elegant script.

_Potter,_

_You must gather your relatives and leave as soon as you can. The Dark Lord and his followers are planning to attack your home. They will arrive at two o'clock sharp. Your relatives are not safe in the muggle world. The Dark Lord is using Blood Magic, and he will find them. He will find you. You must have a hiding place, so get there before he finds you._

_Be safe._

Harry knew he could not afford to second guess the validity of the letter. He disliked the Dursleys, but he would not ever wish on them the harm the Death Eaters would inflict if they were caught. He glanced down at his watch. One o'clock. If the letter was to be believed, they had just short of an hour to gather their things and get as far away as possible. Harry levitated his belongings down the stairs and into the hallway, and braced himself for what he had to do. He paused only briefly before knocking on his Aunt and Uncle's door. After much grunting and swearing, Vernon Dursley in all his mass stood in the door.

"What do you mean by waking us up at one in the bloody morning, boy?"

"Wake Dudley up. You're in danger. We need to get out of here. Pack as little as possible."

"What? What do you mean, we're in danger? Have you brought something dangerous into my house? Are more of those Dementoid things after you? I let you stay before, but it won't happen again! I'll not have you endan-"

"Kicking me out won't do you any good. What's after me is much worse, and when it gets here it will only kill you. It won't matter whether I'm here or not. Voldemort will see that you are muggles. If you are lucky, he will only torture you for a little bit before he kills you." At the mention of the Dark Lord's name, there was a squeal from behind Vernon. "That's right, Aunt Petunia. It's him. The one who killed them. He's coming, and he will have us if we don't leave _now!_"

"Are you sure?" His Aunt's quiet tone didn't fool Harry. He knew that she was the only one who could even begin to grasp the horror of the situation.

Harry sighed. Lying to them was not going to help. "No, I'm not. But can we really afford to take the chance?"

"Very well. Vernon, wake Dudders and help him pack his things. I will take care of ours. We will go to Marge's for a while. We will tell her that we are having the house fumigated."

Harry recalled the letter. _Your relatives are not safe in the muggle world. The Dark Lord is using Blood Magic, and he will find them_. "NO! He may be evil, but he is very resourceful. He is using powerful blood magic to find us, and he will find you there too. He will want to know where I am, and will try to get you to draw me out. Going there would only put her in danger." Harry hated Marge with a burning passion; however, he would not see her dead because of him. "You'll have to come with me."

Vernon opened his mouth to protest, but Petunia silenced him with a look. "This is our lives we are talking about, Vernon. We must do what's best for us, even if that means putting up with this...freakishness." Vernon seemed to have discovered a new shade of puce, but nodded his head after a moment. Petunia turned to Harry. "Where will we go?"

Harry thought for a second. Grimmauld Place was out of the question. With Dumbledore's death, Harry had no idea who could access the house. Muggles couldn't see The Leaky Cauldron, so that was out. No, he would have to go to The Burrow. That left only the problem of actually getting there with three muggles. He had no idea whether muggles could take the Knight Bus, and it was not a good way to maintain a low profile, so that was out. He couldn't apparate, and he didn't know how to create a portkey, so those weren't options either. Then a wild thought occurred to him. He remembered that there was a member of the Order right down the road. "We will go to Abrella Figg's house, where we'll floo to The Burrow, and stay there until I can find somewhere else for you to stay." If Petunia was surprised to learn that Ms. Figg knew about the magical world, or had any qualms about staying somewhere named "The Burrow," she didn't show it. Harry just hoped beyond hope that Muggles could use the Floo Network without something nasty happening.

By the time the Dursleys were ready to leave, they had scarcely ten minutes left. He levitated his trunk out the door, then paused. "You need to stay as close to me as possible, and be completely silent. If you go running or screaming, you'll be dead before you can say 'oops.' Do you understand?" The Dursleys nodded their heads. They filed out the door, and walked down the street.

Petunia knocked at Ms. Figg's door, and Harry glanced down at his watch. They had three minutes. Ms. Figg was not answering. "Move aside!" Harry pointed his wand at the door. "_Alohamora!_" The door swung open. "In."

They moved in, and as Harry closed the door, he heard several loud cracks, a telltale sign of Apparation. "Hurry!" Then louder, "Ms. Figg! Are you here?"

"Harry dear, is that you?" She was hobbling down the stairs. "What are you doing here this la-Oh!" she started as she saw all of the Durlseys in her house, and her eyes went from them, to the wand in Harry's hand. "Is everything alright? What's going on?"

"There's an attack! Voldemort's here, right up the road. Is your fireplace connected to the Floo Network?"

"WHAT? You-Know-Who is here?"

"Yes, and we need to get out of here! Is your fireplace connected or not?"

"Yes dear, of course. The Floo Powder is just there, on the mantle." She pointed to a small jar.

"Thank you. Do you know if muggles can use the Floo Network?"

"I don't rightly know, but if a Squib like me can, then I assume they could."

We'll find out, won't we?" Turning to the Dursleys, he explained the technique to them. "Just make sure to speak _clearly_. You're going to The Burrow, so that's what you will say. There's no time for questions." There was a loud _BANG!_ and they could see a column of flames rising from up the road, where their house once stood. "Go now!" he hissed.

Though wary of it, they each took their turn, and Harry helped Ms. Figg. She followed the Dursleys, and Harry glanced back out the window. His last thought he had before the emerald flames swallowed him was one of gratitude to whoever sent that letter.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** **Hey guys. Life is good, but it looks rather funny at 3:13 AM :)**** Without any further ado, Chapter Two. (Hey. That rhymes :D )**

_Disclaimer can be found at the beginning of Chapter One_

**Chapter Two**

It was quite a sight that Harry was faced with as he stepped out of the fireplace; it seemed the Dursleys could not have an encounter with magic without ending up staring down the business end of a wand. Vernon, who was the first one through, had set off the wards and woken the Weasleys, who were simply not expecting any visitors at two in the morning. Mr. Weasley had vaulted down the stairs and immediately placed Vernon in a body bind. Petunia, who had been the next through, as well as Ms. Figg, were bound head to toe in ropes. Dudley looked to have taken a stunner square to the chest. Harry had little time to process this however, because as soon as he stepped out of the fireplace, he was staring down the point of Mr. Weasley's wand, the rest of the Weasleys huddled together in the living room.

"Of which item did I inquire the function when we met in the summer before your second year?" Mr. Weasley's voice was calm, yet serious.

"A rubber duck," was Harry's reply. Mr. Weasley relaxed, but he still eyed the Dursleys suspiciously. "We need to call a meeting of the Order! Voldemort attacked Privet Drive!" That got everyone's attention.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am bloody well sure! The house is up in flames! It hasn't been two minutes. We need to get the Order there, before Voldemort gets angry and attacks the whole neighbourhood."

Mr. Weasley turned to the fireplace to Floo Professor McGonagall, and Mrs. Weasley waved her wand at the Dursleys and Ms. Figg. Petunia and Ms. Figg were released from their rope bonds, and Vernon's Body Bind was lifted. He seemed to have a hard time believing he could move again, because for several moments all he did was twitch. When he realised he could, in fact, move again, he regained that deep shade of puce that he discovered only an hour before. However, before he could open his mouth, he noticed Dudley lying on the floor, unconscious. All the colour drained from his face except for the lovely puce, leaving him looking somewhat like a very large, discoloured smurf. "Petunia! Look what these _freaks_ have done to our Dudley! They've killed him!"

Petunia shrieked, but before she could do anything, Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "He isn't dead. Arthur only stunned him." She pointed her wand at him, "_Ennervate!_" Dudley began to stir. "He will need to rest. Stunners aren't the most comfortable spells, and I must confess that Arthur's are rather more powerful than most. Give him a good night's sleep, though, and he will be right as rain." Mrs. Weasley's smile seemed only to make Petunia question her sanity.

Fortunately, Mr. Weasley chose this moment to return. "Minerva contacted Kingsley, and he sent a team of Aurors to your relatives' house. We should hear back any moment. "

"Oh, you poor dears! You feel free to stay here as long as you need to. And how about a cup of tea while we wait to hear back?" Mrs. Weasley was a godsend during times like this. Harry thought about how much different his life would be if he had simply known how to get on that platform all those years ago. He would not have befriended Ron, and would certainly not have met his family.

As for the offer of tea, Vernon opened his mouth to say something, but for the second time that night, Petunia silenced him with a look. "A cup of tea would be lovely, Mrs. –ah..."

"Weasley. Mrs. Weasley. And that is my husband Arthur-" she gestured to the man, who was speaking with Harry. "-and these are my children Bill, Charlie, Ron, and Ginny. There's also Percy, Fred and George. Percy... Well, we had a bit of a falling out. Fred and George would be here, but they chose to stay at their flat to open up a room here. We're planning for a wedding, you see." Each of the Weasleys smiled at Petunia, who politely smiled back.

"I'm Petunia Dursley, and this is my husband Vernon and my son Dudley. Please excuse my husband's rudeness. It's very nice of you to allow us into your home, especially this late at night."

"Don't worry dear. We would do anything for Harry and his family. Now, I'll go get the tea, shall I?"

Mrs. Weasley shuffled off to the kitchen, and as soon as she was out of earshot, Petunia rounded on Vernon. "I don't think you understand what danger we were just in, Vernon, and I really don't think you realise what danger these people are putting themselves in by allowing us into their home. The man that visited our house tonight was going to _kill_ us, like he killed my sister and her husband. I believe Harry when he says that man would have killed us whether Harry was home or not. Harry saved our lives tonight. These people have opened their home to us, despite that danger, and you will treat them with the respect they deserve, magic or not. Is that understood?" Vernon meekly nodded his head. "Good. And the same goes for you, Dudley, understood?" Dudley nodded his head.

Mrs. Weasley returned, the tray of tea levitating behind her. Petunia and Vernon watched the floating tray with wide eyes. Dudley, who was only just becoming coherent, did a double take and muttered, "Bloody hell, mum. I think they did a number on my head, because now I'm seeing things." Ginny chuckled, and Ms. Figg cracked a smile.

"No, Dudley, they didn't do anything to your head. You're just missing a few brain cells anyway. But the floating tray has nothing to do with that. Magic is real. That's how you ended up with that tail seven years ago, remember?" Harry's patience was wearing thin, and he couldn't resist having a go at Dudley.

"Thanks Potter," he said sarcastically. "Forgive me if I'm not used to this _funny business_."

Fortunately, the fireplace roared to life, saving them all from any fight that may have ensued. Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped out, and looked at Mr. Weasley. "We managed to get a couple of Death Eaters, but no one important. You-Know-Who was gone by the time we arrived; they were clearing out. It seems they were only after Harry. They only attacked one house, so no one else was hurt. The whole street saw the massive fire though, and afterwards a few of the muggles came out to see what happened once it was out. We told them it was a gas leak, and they seemed to buy it. Unfortunately, the house is gone. There was nothing we could do. I've informed Minerva, and there is to be a meeting tomorrow evening. I've got to get back and interrogate the prisoners. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Kingsley." Mrs. Weasley said, and the man nodded before stepping into the fireplace. A flash of emerald flames, and he was gone.

"I think I had better leave as well, Molly." Ms. Figg piped up. "Don't worry, I won't go to Privet Drive. I have family in France I can stay with. I was planning to go on holiday soon anyway." They bid her farewell, and in another flash, she was gone.

Vernon was pale, and looked almost as though he were going to pass out. Petunia was just as pale, but looked much less sickly, and it was only then Harry realised just how strong his Aunt could be. Dudley looked like he was about to cry. "We don't have a house anymore... Any longer and that would have been us in that fire..." His voice trailed off.

"Why?" It was a simple question, and everyone turned their heads to Vernon, who was looking at Harry.

"Why what?"

"Why? Why did this man kill your parents? Why is he after you? Why won't he just give up? Why has our house been reduced to a pile of ashes?"

Harry sighed. It was late, he was tired, and he especially didn't feel like explaining the prophecy to a room full of people. "It's all very complicated and would take time to explain. The short version is this: Voldemort-" the whole Weasley family flinched "- is a very evil man. He wants to take over, and if he does, he will enslave or kill each and every muggle - er, non-magic person. My parents fought against him, and he killed them and tried to kill me. My mother died protecting me, so Voldemort's curse hit him instead. Now, he's super pissed off at me, and takes it personally that I had enough nerve not to die when he willed it. That's why he wants me dead." So it wasn't exactly the truth. The only people that knew about the prophecy were Ron and Hermione, and he was content to keep it that way for now.

Vernon was the first to speak up. "Wait... If he tried to kill you, and it hit him instead, why am I in this awf- this place hiding from a freak instead of at home in my bed?"

"He has done some horrible things to keep himself from dying. There are certain... tasks that I have to complete before we can be rid of him."

Vernon looked as though he didn't believe a word of it, but let it go for the time being. Mrs. Weasley looked around, and saw that everyone was struggling to stay awake. "Right, it's time we all went to bed. Harry, you can stay in Ron's room like you normally do. Your relatives can stay in the attic. Don't worry," she added at the look on his face, "We've cleaned out the attic, and the ghoul is gone. With all the Order members coming in and out and the wedding being so soon, we thought we might need the room, so we converted the attic. I can assure you, it's quite comfortable now."

The Dursleys' eyes widened at the mention of the ghoul, and Vernon looked as though he were going to protest yet again. One look from Harry stopped him. Reluctantly, they turned and went up the stairs, followed by Ron, Harry, Ginny, Bill, Charlie, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Harry made it to Ron's room, changed, and promptly fell asleep.

Harry woke up feeling as though he had only gone to sleep a couple hours ago. iOh, wait... That's right./i Ron had already gone downstairs, and the scent of Mrs. Weasley's wonderful cooking floated up to him. He got dressed hurriedly, and went downstairs. What he saw when he got there shocked him. Petunia and Mrs. Weasley were setting the table, and having a civil conversation. In fact, they almost looked like they could have been friends.

"It seems I have a lot to rethink," Petunia said. "I have never been the most open minded when it comes to-" she hesitated, "magic. My experience around it has been nothing but horrible. From the moment I saw Harry on the doorstep, I knew he would have it too, and I hated him for it. I've treated him awful, and I've stood by while Vernon has done some horrible things. Last night, Harry was ready to leave. He could have left us there to die, and we would have deserved it."

"Harry would never have been able to live with himself if he'd done that. He isn't capable of it. He is a sweet person with a kind heart. You never know, he may forgive you if you just ask."

"No, he couldn't. Not after all those times I stood by while Vernon deprived him of meals. What have I done? I've failed Lily. I was trusted with the care of her only child, the one she gave her life for, and I couldn't even do that."

Mrs. Weasley looked up from her cooking, and spotted Harry standing in the doorway. She winked at him. Petunia followed her gaze, and her eyes widened. "I believe I am going to help Ron de-gnome the garden. Help yourselves to breakfast, dears," Mrs. Weasley said. She walked out of the house, and the sounds of gnomes screaming could soon be heard as they went sailing over the garden walls.

They sat at the table, eating in relative silence. Then something seemed to snap, and suddenly Petunia was crying. "Harry. I'm so sorry for everything," she choked. "I've watched you suffer more than any child should have to at the hands of those who should be taking care of them. For sixteen years I've seen a boy with Lily's eyes, and I haven't been able to let go of the jealousy I felt for her. I hated her for getting that letter from the school. Why did she have to be the magical one? I despised her, so I began to think of her as a freak. By the time she was out of school, we never spoke. I was wrong. All those years I hated her for who she was, and it was wrong. When she was killed, I hadn't talked to her for years. I was so shocked, and I've hated her even more because she left me here. For sixteen years, that hatred has surfaced every time I've looked into your eyes. I've seen my sister looking back at me, and I've felt guilty. I punished you to try and make it go away, but it never did.

"Mrs. Weasley and I have been talking for most of the morning. She told me some of the things you have been through... I cannot believe that you faced your parents' murderer when you were just eleven... I am disgusted with myself for ignoring you in the summer after your fourth year. Mrs. Weasley explained it to me; you saw him come back. You almost died in that Tri-wandy thing, and as a prize for winning, you got sent to your death. I can't believe the number of times you almost _died_, and Vernon and I neglected you when you came home... I... I'm sorry..." She couldn't continue. She was shaking and sobbing, and Harry didn't really know what to do. He wasn't about to hug her, but a lot of the animosity he felt towards her dissolved as he looked at the woman. He could understand how she felt, and he didn't blame her nearly as much as he thought he would.

He took her hand, "Aunt Petunia, I can't say I forgive you yet, because honestly, I don't. There are a lot of bad feelings between us, and it is going to take time to work through them, but you've made a step in the right direction. This is good. We will work on this, okay?"

She gave one last sniffle and nodded. Harry got up to leave, but she stopped him before he left the kitchen, "Oh, and Harry? Would it be possible if... if maybe I could see your school sometime? I heard Lily talk about it when we were small, and I've always secretly wanted to visit."

Harry was stunned. Whatever he had been expecting her to ask, that was not it. "Er... I'm honestly not sure.." He vaguely remembered Hermione telling him that Hogwarts had some manner of muggle protection charms on it. "I'll find out. It may be possible... Er... I'll let you know."

He climbed up the stairs to the room that he and Ron shared, and retrieved the letters from his trunk. He put the birthday wishes aside, focusing instead on the warning he had received.

_Potter, _

_You must gather your relatives and leave as soon as you can. The Dark Lord and his followers are planning to attack your home. They will arrive at two o'clock sharp. Your relatives are not safe in the muggle world. The Dark Lord is using Blood Magic, and he will find them. He will find you. You must have a hiding place, so get there before he finds you._

_Be safe._

The warning was brief, and the handwriting was none he had ever seen before. The script was long and elegant, and if he didn't know better, he would have said the letter was printed from a muggle printer. He cast a couple of rudimentary detection spells on the letter, but to no avail. He decided to ask Hermione when she arrived. Putting that letter aside, he picked up Professor McGonagall's. Her request infuriated him much less than it had last night. He was actually inclined to agree with her. For the parents to see the castle reopen would be a huge boost to the Wizarding World's morale, as well as a huge blow to Voldemort's ego. In fact, there was little question in his mind as to whether he would return in the fall. He pulled his quill and parchment out, and began to write a response to the letter, when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

Ron walked in, covered in dirt from head to toe. "Hey Harry, you up for some Quidditch?"

"Yeah, mate. Give me a minute. I have a letter to write."

Ron looked down and saw the letter from Professor McGonagall. "Bloody Hell," he said after he read it, "She wants you to go back there? After what happened last term? That's mental... You're going, aren't you?"

"It makes sense. We have to show Voldemort that we will not be beaten so easily. Hogwarts is his biggest target, and he cannot be allowed to take it so easily. And besides, I'm a little curious to see what she wanted to talk to me about that was so important that she couldn't put it in a letter."

"Whatever you say, mate. I can't speak for Hermione, but when I said that I would stick by you no matter what you chose, I meant it. Whether we go back or not, I am in this to see it through."

"Thanks, Ron. It means a lot."

Ron nodded, and Harry went back to his letter writing. He informed Professor McGonagall that he would be returning, and sent the letter on it's way.

He went back downstairs, and was not surprised to see Vernon and Dudley sitting at the table. Vernon looked as though he thought the food might be poisoned, while Dudley was helping himself to a rather small serving of eggs. He had finally decided last year that dieting was rather better for him than eating everything in sight, and managed to lose a great deal of his girth. Vernon on the other hand, was bigger than ever.

"You know," Harry said, "The food's not going to eat you or anything. It's safe to eat, and it's probably better than most."

"'e's ri' da'," Dudley said around a mouthful.

Vernon looked at him critically for a second, then began piling food on his plate. A few seconds later, there was a loud crack outside, and Mrs. Weasley came in.

"Harry, dear, you have a visitor. He's... That is, perhaps you should come out into the garden."

"Not to worry, Molly. We can have this conversation inside," said a voice from somewhere behind Mrs. Weasley. Harry was instantly put off any good mood he was in; he knew that voice well, for it had harassed him numerous times over the last year.

"Hello, Minister. Would you like some tea?" Harry asked as the man in question entered the kitchen. Scrimgeour looked horrible. It was normal for someone with so much responsibility to look a little worse for wear; he was, after all, in charge of an increasingly panicked country. Now, however, the Minister looked like he was going to be sick. He was very pale, and his hands were shaking rather violently. He wore a blank expression on his face, however, that made it seem as though he wasn't aware anything was wrong.

At the word "Minister", Vernon and Dudley both looked up from their plates, and Vernon's eyes widened.

"Thank you, Harry," the Minister said as he sat at the table. Harry poured him a cup of tea, but when Scrimgeour took the cup, his hand shook violently and spilt tea all over the table. "Sorry," he said, and with a wave of his wand the mess was gone.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, sir?" Harry asked after a minute. He poured a cup for himself.

"Well, Harry, It has come to our attention that your residence was attacked at approximately two o'clock this morning. The Ministry just wants to be sure that you and your family are safe, and I can see that you are all as safe and well as you could be after such an ordeal."

"Yes, Minister. We're fine. The Dursleys are a bit shaken up, but they are here in one piece."

"Good, Harry. Good. We would hate to have something happen to our Chosen One, now wouldn't we?" Scrimgeour took a sip of his tea.

Enough was enough. "Minister, why are you here? I've been in worse situations, and quite frankly, the Ministry doesn't care a bit. No, you are here because you need something. Well, I stand by what I said. When the Ministry starts releasing people like Stan Shunpike, I might be more willing to help."

Scrimgeour looked pensive for a moment. "Harry, you know as well as I do that we have an image to keep. The moment the Ministry begins to look weak, the whole Wizarding World _becomes_ weak. People need strong guidance. The majority of people aren't capable of leadership; they need someone to lead them, to tell them what to think or how to react." Scrimgeour took another sip of tea, the blank expression on his face not slipping for a moment.

"Minister, I may agree that most people are not capable of leadership, but wizards and witches are more resilient than you give them credit for. People can do amazing things when their human rights are threatened. Now unless there's anything else, sir, the door is right over there." Harry waved his hand in the general direction of the kitchen door.

"Very well," said Scrimgeour. He finished his tea in one gulp, placed it upside-down on the table, then stood. "If you need me, I daresay you know how to find me. You've broken in once already, after all." With that, he was gone.

Vernon and Dudley stared at him. After a moment, Vernon spoke. "You talk to the minister like that, boy?"

"Yeah. It's no big deal. He wouldn't stop harassing me most of last year. I'm done playing games now. I'll not side with the Ministry as long as they are following a doctrine of hypocrisy."

"You were serious, then. About all that prophecy codswallop from last night."

"I was."

"Hm." was all Vernon said after that. Harry moved to clean up the tea service, but paused when he saw Scrimgeour's overturned cup. Flipping it over, he saw that there was a folded up piece of parchment under it.

Harry's pulse began to throb. He put the tray down and unfolded the parchment. His eyes grew wide as he saw the brief message inscribed on the paper. It was not the elegant scrawl from the night before, but the message was just as disturbing.

_I'm being watched. The Ministry is crawling with his spies and will be overtaken soon. No one can be trusted. I'll be in touch._

Scrimgeour had come to the Burrow to warn Harry. That thought hit him like a freight train. Though he shouldn't be surprised, really; Scrimgeour had never denounced Harry as an ally, only tried to use him to advance the Ministry.

_Damn,_ thought Harry, _It's not even noon and the day's already blown up in my face. _Not enough, it seemed, because Molly chose that moment to enter the house and drop a bombshell on him.

"Bill and Fleur's wedding will be this Saturday," she said.

"Saturday?" asked Harry. "That's in three days!"

"Indeed. The wedding was supposed to be today, but the guests weren't quite ready. We all agreed that moving the date was best. It's a good thing we did, too. I'm afraid all this business with You-Know-Who and the Dursleys would be a bit too much for everyone to handle. At any rate, the wedding will be on Saturday, and we've got plenty of work to do. The extra time means that we have three more days to get this place into tip-top shape."

The rest of the day was spent putting the final touches on The Burrow in preparation for the wedding. The Dursleys stayed out of the way for the most part (after all, in a house full of magic, what would trying to clean the muggle way accomplish?), but came down from the attic for lunch. During that time, Arthur interrogated them about everything from air conditioning to the internet ("That's amazing! So you can talk to people on the other side of the world without the Floo Network? You muggles are geniuses!'). Halfway through lunch, Fred and George arrived with much ado. The Dursleys, remembering their evil sweets of chaos and discord from three years earlier, were terrified. After lunch, the Dursleys returned to the attic, and everyone else went back to work. Once all the work around the house was done, Harry and Ron went outside with Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Ginny to play Quidditch.

Around six o'clock, Mrs. Weasley called them all in because members of the Order had begun to arrive. While everyone else had been busy cleaning, Molly had been cooking supper for her family, the Dursleys, and the entire Order.

As Harry walked into the kitchen, he was attacked my some sort of monster. It had a coat of long, brown, _bushy_ fur concentrated at its head, and emitted high-pitched squealing noises while attempting to strangle him.

"It's nice to see you too, Hermione," he managed to choke out. The monster continued to squeal and choke him.

"Let the man breathe, Hermione," came Ron's voice from the doorway. The monster immediately released Harry, but reattached itself to Ron not a moment later.

"It's so nice to see you! How have you been? We have GOT to catch up after supper. Harry, why are the Dursleys here?" Hermione had been out of the loop, obviously.

"Um, you _do_ know what happened last night, right?" Ron asked.

"Um, no."

"Harry, you tell her."

"Yeah, Harry. What happened?" Hermione looked a little worried, and more than a little pissed off.

"Er... Well, Voldemort might have paid the Dursleys and me a visit for my birthday. We got out of the house safely before it exploded, though."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Harry James Potter, Voldemort attacked you, and you didn't see fit to tell me?"

"It only happened this morning, Hermione. I haven't really had the chance."

"Well, I'm glad you're okay, at least. And that would explain why there is a large harem of Order members gathering in the living room."

Their conversation broke off as the aforementioned harem of people migrated back to the kitchen.

"Harry!"

"Remus!" The werewolf looked really well. He had obviously found another person to supply him with the Wolfsbane potion.

"I'd ask how you've been, but that much is obvious. Don't worry, though. You're safe now. It's great to see you, Harry."

"It's great to see you as well! You look great! You've been getting your potion, then?"

"Yes. Minerva has found someone willing to supply it for me, so I haven't had as difficult a time with my transformations as I feared. It's been rather nice, and she is taking the cost out of my pay." Remus smiled as he watched that revelation cross the three Gryffindors' faces.

"You're teaching again!" Hermione squealed and jumped with happiness for the third time that night.

"That's great! You were the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had. What'll we start this year with?" Ron asked.

"I'm not teaching Defense this year, Ron. McGonagall is the headmistress now, and that left the Transfiguration position open, as well as Head of Gryffindor."

"Oh," came the trio's reply.

"But don't worry. Transfiguration was my best subject in school, even better than Defense Against the Dark Arts. Besides that, Professor McGonagall wanted me around in case you need me with... well, whatever it is that Professor Dumbledore asked you all to do."

Molly stepped in at that moment and informed them all that dinner was ready.

As if it were coordinated by some divine power, the floo roared to life just as the last person finished their cake, and Minerva McGonagall stepped out. The chatter that pervaded the room silenced as everyone prepared themselves for the grim discussion ahead.

"Good evening, everyone, and thank you for being here." She turned to Molly, "I apologise for not being here in time for dinner," Turning back to the Order, she said, " We might as well get straight to business. I realise we have all had a tough time since Albus passed, but in the time since then, we have done very little to gather information or actively oppose You-Know-Who. We lost our only spy among his ranks, and as such, we are blind to his plans. That does not mean we can stop working completely; we may not be able to use our eyes, but we still have our ears, hands, and unlike Voldemort, our noses. We cannot allow our entire organization to fall simply because one member falls. We all share the guilt equally, and as such, we should all contribute to restoring this organization to its former glory. I propose that we move to elect a permanent leader, as I was only appointed to keep this organization from falling apart when Albus died."

"It might as well be you, Minerva. You seem to know what we need to do, and you are the person Albus confided in most... well, aside from that greasy traitorous bastard Snape."

Remus spoke up, "Is that an official nomination, Alastor? I second that. Minerva is just the rock the Order needs in order to survive."

"Thank You for that vote of confidence. It would be hard to manage the Order as well as keep up with the schemings of rampant, rule-breaking teenagers, but Albus managed, and if it's the wish of the Order, then so will I. All in favor?" McGonagall wasn't surprised to see everyone's hand shoot into the air. "Now that we've taken care of that bit of housekeeping, we have some issues to address. First and foremost is the matter of security. Severus knew about Grimmauld Place so we can't go back there until we know who has access now that Albus is dead.. Molly, your kitchen makes a wonderful meeting place, and having meetings at Hogwarts would draw too much attention. May we use it until we can find a more suitable place?"

"Yes! Of course! I love having guests. Any time you want, my kitchen is yours."

"Thank you. We won't be too much of a burden. You have my word. Next on our agenda is the induction of new Order members. I believe Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger are, as the expression goes, chomping at the bit, and we have a few other new members among us tonight. Let's get started, shall we? All in favor of inducting Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger?" The whole room raised their hands. "Very well. Welcome to the Order, though you hardly need it," McGonagall said with a faint smile. "Next is Mr. Jason Merrick." Hermione let out a surprised "Oh!" as McGonagall continued. "Mr. Merrick has shown a strong desire to overthrow You-Know-Who, and has already proven his desire to be genuine by offering some desperately needed potions and healing supplies for the Order." In the back of the room, Remus smiled. "I am personally nominating him for membership. Mr. Merrick, do you accept this nomination?"

Jason Merrick stood, and the large group crowded around Molly's humble kitchen table looked in awe (sans Hermione) as a young man, no older than perhaps twenty, stood. "Yes, Minerva, and thank you." The man spoke with an American accent, which seemed to further surprise everyone but Hermione.

Harry leaned over and whispered, "I expect you know exactly who this is and will explain after the meeting?" Hermione nodded in response.

"Do we have someone willing to second the nomination?" McGonagall asked.

"I will," said Remus from his little corner of the room.

"Very well. All in favor of allowing Mr. Merrick to join the Order?" Several hands rose, including Hermione's, followed by Harry's and Ron's, though uncertainly.

"Welcome to the Order, Mr. Merrick. Would you mind staying behind after the meeting? There are vows of secrecy to be made."

"There is one final thing we must do before we adjourn. Now we must settle the matter of the three muggles upstairs. They have no house, and they are no doubt unsafe. From what Albus told me, the only thing keeping the Death Eaters away was Harry's blood protection. Harry, would you please ask them to come downstairs now, and tell us in their own words what happened?"

Harry nodded and stood. He only hoped that the Dursleys would behave themselves. The Order certainly wasn't going to put up with any ignorance. They would sooner Obliviate them and leave them to fend for themselves. Most of the people in that room understood how badly Harry had been treated the the hands of the Dursleys, and would only need a small excuse to hex the life out of them.

When Harry returned with the Dursleys, the whole room shifted uncomfortably. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Hello Dudley." McGonagall kept her tone even and her face unreadable. She would treat this situation with as much propriety and professionalism as she possessed (which was quite an impressive amount). "We are sorry to have to ask you to recount these difficult events, but it is imperative that we know as much as we can in order to prevent these sort of things in the future."

"Your lot has a government of their own. Why can't they lock away rubbish like this Voldy-whatsit so he leaves decent people like me and my family alone?" Just like that, Vernon's ignorance managed to offend most of the Order.

"Vernon Dursley, how _dare_ you say things like that to these people!" Petunia Dursley was livid. "They are trying their hardest to help us, to keep us and the rest of the world safe, and this is how you repay them? With rude ignorance and belittlement? It's a wonder they haven't given up on us and let us die. You will not say another word the rest of the night! Is that understood?"

Vernon nodded meekly.

"Good." Turning to face the Order, most of whom were shocked, Petunia said, "Sorry about that. What is it you need to know from us?"

"If you would, please, just tell us what happened last night. Start at the beginning." McGonagall's tone was soft, almost sounding supportive.

"Well, there isn't much to tell. I went to bed with Vernon around ten, and then Harry was beating on the door about one in the morning, telling us that something was wrong. Vernon tried to kick him out of the house because he thought more of those... Dementoid things were coming after him. Harry told us that... ihe/i was on his way, and that we had to leave. I... I asked him if he was sure, and... he... he said he didn't know, but couldn't afford to take any chances." Petunia paused a moment to gather herself. It wouldn't be proper to cry in front of a large amount of people. They might think badly of her. "Marge, Vernon's sister, is on holiday and doesn't take kindly to surprise visitors, so we ruled her out. We don't really have anywhere else to go, so Harry took us to Ms. Figg. I had no idea she was a witch, by the way. On our way there, we saw our house explode. When we arrived at her house, she sent us here through the fireplace."

"Very well. Thank you, Mrs. Dursley. You and your family are free to go upstairs. We won't need to bother you any more tonight."

"Good night." Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley promptly exited the kitchen.

"Harry," said McGonagall, "how did you know the attack was coming?"

Harry's stomach dropped. That was exactly what he'd hoped McGonagall would _not_ ask. "Er... I had a vision. I was sleeping, and I had a vision. I saw Voldemort telling his followers to prepare to attack. I wasn't really sure who he was targeting, but then he paused, and I could feel his mind. He knew I was there, and he got all excited. I just had a feeling he was coming after me. It was all really weird, and I wasn't sure, but at the same time, I was. I just followed my instincts, and we made it out in time."

"Thank you, Harry," said McGonagall. Turning back to the Order, "I believe that is all for tonight. We'll have another meeting here one week from today to discuss how we are going to begin making forward progress again. Goodnight everyone. Mr. Merrick, if you please."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ascended to Ron's room, and as soon as the door closed, Hermione attacked.

"Okay, Harry James Potter. I've known you for seven years now, and I know that everything you just told the Order is a load of hogwash. How did you know the attack was on its way?"

Harry told them about the letter and the events surrounding its arrival.

"Blimey," said Ron, "I wonder who sent it to you. It would have to be someone in You-Know-Who's Inner Circle. None of his other followers know about attacks until they happen."

"It is very strange. Do you have the letter with you? I'd like to cast a few spells to see if I can figure out who sent it." Harry retrieved the letter and handed it to her.

"What about you, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You seem to know who Jason Merrick is. Enlighten us."

"Well, you both know where I've been for the past two weeks, yes?"

"Yeah. You've been in America," answered Ron.

"_Where_ in America?"

Harry thought for a moment, then it hit him. "You've been in Merrick Place. But Hermione, you don't think-"

"That's right Harry. According to the people in the village, the Merrick family has been there for centuries. They were the settling family that started the town. From what I understand, they are very wealthy. It's a miracle that he is working for the Order, though I can't imagine why he would be. You-Kno- Oh to hell with it. Voldemort-" Ron flinched. "-is largely an English problem. Most other countries don't really care what he does, as long as he stays here with it."

"Wow. That's depressing. It's also strange that Merrick wants to help, then." Harry thought for a moment. "But if the looks McGonagall and Remus were giving him are anything to go by, I would say it's him that's getting Remus his Wolfsbane."

"True. I think we should give him a chance, though. He seems like a nice enough bloke," said Ron.

Harry and Hermione agreed, and they also agreed that it was late, the day had been long, and bed was a long overdue indulgence. Hermione left, and Harry and Ron were asleep before their heads hit their respective pillows.

**A/N: ****Okay. Done. I've been up till 3:00 AM finishing this because I love you all. Next chapter will be posted within a week, hopefully. No promises thought. More like a guideline, as opposed to a deadline. Now then, bed is indeed a long overdue luxury, and it is one I am going to take full advantage of right** _**now**_**. Please review if you love it, or even if you hate it (no flaming though, please). Good night, everyone. :) **


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